OLYMPIA – June 6, 2019 – Washington State Parks invites the public to participate in the fourth and final phase of long-term recreation planning for Wallace Falls State Park at a public meeting in Sultan.
Park planners will present preliminary recommendations from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, at the Sky Valley Event Center, 14315 366th Ave. SE, Sultan. (Driving directions.) The local community and interested park visitors are encouraged to continue their involvement with the planning process by attending this meeting or by providing comments online at http://bit.ly/WallacePlan.
Wallace Falls State Park, near the towns of Index and Gold Bar, is a popular day-use and overnight destination with trail opportunities in the park and on adjacent lands. In late 2017, State Parks launched the Wallace Falls State Park Classification and Management Planning (CAMP) process with an initial meeting in November followed by two more meetings in March and July 2018.
In this fourth meeting, State Parks staff will present recommendations intended to address issues raised by park stakeholders during the first three stages of planning. Concerns include trail connections with adjacent lands and parking.
Key issues
Over the years, the park’s popularity has grown, while the original parking facilities have not been expanded. Part of the park’s CAMP will focus on creative parking solutions for this popular park.
In addition, the public forest lands adjacent to Wallace Falls State Park provide an exciting opportunity to identify future trail connections, with the goal of improved user experience for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians and other non-motorized trail users.
Next steps
Following the June 19 meeting, the public may continue to provide written comment through July 12. Parks planning staff is tentatively scheduled to present its recommendations to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 18, in Bremerton.
Opportunities for public comment will be available at the meeting, and public comment also may be provided by contacting Randy Kline, Parks Planner, at (360) 902-8632, randy.kline@parks.wa.gov, or by commenting online at http://bit.ly/WallacePlan
Classification and Management Plan (CAMP)
State Parks has completed more than 100 land-use plans for parks around the state through its Classification and Management Plan public process. The CAMP process addresses parking issues, day-use and camping opportunities, overall visitor experiences, natural resources, recreation areas, trails and other topics of interest to the community.
About Wallace Falls State Park
Located in Snohomish County, Wallace Falls State Park is a 1,380-acre camping park with shoreline on the Wallace River, Wallace Lake, Jay Lake and Shaw Lake. Located on the west side of the Cascade Mountains, the park features a 265-foot high waterfall, old-growth coniferous forests and fast-moving rivers and streams. For more information about the park, visit: http://wparks.state.wa.us/289/Wallace-Falls
News media contacts:
Toni Droscher, (360) 902-8604
Randy Kline, (360) 902-8632
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About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
News release number: 19-039